Summit at Fresno State inspiring high school students to be leaders

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- For the next two days, nearly 100 Central Valley high school students will be giving up their summer break to live and learn on the Fresno State campus.

This is the university's third annual Central Valley Emerging Leaders Summit.

"We hope that they get to learn as much as they can so when they go back to their community they can become better for themselves with anything they get involved in like in sports, different clubs and it can be in their classrooms," said Fresno State graduate student Jerry Gomez.

A group of Fresno State undergrad and grad students will be hosting workshops, hands-on activities, and lectures from community leaders.

The Fresno State students want each high school student to know leadership is open to diversity and that a drive for success will benefit everyone around them.

"Leadership doesn't come by a specific gender it comes by the person they are within, and it is really important to know that leadership is not built on who you are by physical characters but on your internal characters," said Fresno State undergraduate student Belle Vang.

Jasmine Gonzalez is a junior in Clovis Unified involved in student leadership working with incoming first-year students.

She wants to teach those students to connect and communicate with other students the moment they step on campus.

"I really hope I can take new leadership skills and show how you can put yourself out there and express yourself," said Gonzalez.

She participated in one of the icebreakers Thursday where she learned it is better to take initiative rather than wait for direction.

"The whole moral of it was really nice. You don't have to wait on someone to tell you to do something. You can go out and do it yourself," said Gonzalez.